ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · foot · row · fan · prune · scale · rock · stick

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. row — a line
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. foot — a measure
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — to paddle
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rock — music
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com